Residency Requirements & Exemption Requests

Residency Requirement

Living in an on-campus residential learning community throughout college is an integral part of the Ohio Wesleyan educational experience.  As a residential university, we require full-time enrolled students to reside on campus unless you meet one of the criteria listed below.

Commuter Students

The deadline for new commuter applications is June 15 for fall semesters, and November 1 for spring semesters.   Once approved to commute, students do not need to re-apply annually. 

Eligibility to commute from home is determined by the high school from which the student graduated or will graduate.  Only those students who graduate from select central Ohio high schools and will continue to reside with their parents or legal guardians at their primary place of residence are eligible to commute.  Students who were zoned for one of the qualifying high schools but who chose homeschooling or boarding school may contact reslife@owu.edu to discuss their potential eligibility.  

Students must provide documentation that the address at which they will reside is the bona fide primary place of residence of their parents or guardians. "Primary place of residence" is defined as the one place where an owner of the property has his/her true, fixed, and permanent home that will continue as a primary place of residence until another primary place of residence is established.  The documentation necessary to verify your place of residence will vary based on circumstance, and is at the discretion of the Residential Life staff.

Apply --> The Commuter and Exemption Application is available to eligible students in the Res Life Portal under 'Applications & Forms'.

Any student approved to commute from home who is later found to be residing somewhere else will be referred to the student conduct process.  In these circumstances, the University reserves the right to rescind the student's 'commuter' status, which will require the student to move into University housing with applicable room and board charges.

Housing Exemption

The deadline for new exemption applications is June 15 for fall semesters, and November 1 for spring semesters.  Once an exemption is approved, students do not need to re-apply annually.   

Students may be eligible for a housing exemption through one of the qualifying factors listed below.  Students who are exempt from living on campus may reside in any location off campus, though we encourage students to live within close proximity of campus so classes and campus resources are more accessible. 

Apply --> Students who want access to the Commuter and Exemption Application need to email reslife@owu.edu to request access.  Once access is granted, the application will be available in the Res Life Portal under 'Applications & Forms'.  

The following circumstances may qualify a student to live off campus:

1. You are 23 years of age or older during the academic year for which an exemption is requested.
2. You are a fifth-year senior.
3. You are legally married. Legal documentation will be required as part of this exemption application.
4. You are the parent of dependent children. Legal documentation will be required as part of this exemption application.
5. You are a transfer student who earned two or more years of credit as a full-time student at an accredited college or university after graduating high school.  Official transcripts will be required as part of this exemption application.
6. You are enrolled as a part-time student. Please see the academic catalog to understand the differences between a full-time and part-time student.

If you are seeking a medical accommodation, please contact the Accessibility Services Office.  

For questions about the residency requirement, please contact the Residential Life Office at 740-368 3175 or reslife@owu.edu.